Safety check-list.



No. 892,748. PATENTED JULY 7, 1908. C

C. H. LAWTON.

SAFETY CHECK BIT.

APPLICATION FILED DBC. 17.1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

No. 892,748. I PATENTBD JULY '7, 1908. C. H. LAWTON.

SAFETY CHECK BIT.

APPLICATION FILED m1011190?.

2 SHEETS-SHEET z.

witnesses:

.should the ordinary bit break in CHARLES II. LAWTON, OF TORRINGTON, CONNECTICUT.

SAFE TY CHE CK-B IT.

Specification of Letters -Patent.

Patented July 7, 1908.

Application filed December 17, 1907. Serial No. 406,829.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. LAWTON, a lcitizen of the United States, residing at Torrington, county of Litchfield, State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Safety Check-Bit, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a safety check bit ada ted for use in connection with an ordinary bit to provide a means for holding up a horses head, to provide means for controlling a pulling horse and also to provide means for controlling a horse use. It is of course Well understood that serious accidents occasionally occur through the breaking of an ordinary bit, which leaves the driver without any means for controlling the horse. I therefore term my novel bit a safety check bit as it performs all the functions of an ordinary check bit, so called, in holding up a horses head and also providesa safety device which insures perfect control of a horse by the driver should the ordinary bit break. With these and other objects in view I have devised the novel bit which I will now describe, referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and using reference characters to indicate the several parts:

Fi ure 1 is a front elevation illustrating my nove safety check bit as in use; Fig. 2 a similar view illustratin the operation of the safety check bit shoulrI the ordinary bit break; Fig. 3 a side elevation corresponding with Fig. 1; and Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are elevations from different oints of view of my novel safety check bit detached.

l0 denotes an ordinary bit which is provided with the usual side rings 11 to which the reins 12 are attached, and 13 the usual side straps of a bridle which are also attached to rings 11.

My novel safety check bit comprises a bar 14 rovided at its ends with strap loops 15 andpwitheyes 16 for rings 17 to which supporting or over-draw check straps 18 are attached.

19 denotes a safety check strap, the midlength of which forms a chin strap indicated by 20 and the ends of which are assed through loops 15 and then carried bac {ward and attached to the reins as at 21. In practice, the ends of the safety check strap may be attached to the reins by the usual rein buckles 22, the free ends of the safety check strap bein engaged in the usual retaining loops 23 w ich are made large enough to receive both the ends of the reins and of the safety check strap. The safety check strap is shown as provided with a plurality of buckle .holes 24 whereby it is made adjustable to meet the various requirements of use.

For an ordinary easy driving horse, the safety check strap may be left loose and the safety check bit will have no function other than as a safety device that will come into use and provide means for controlling the horse should the ordinary bit break. For

-use upon a pulling horse, the safety check strap would be drawn u more tightly so that the chin strap woul grip more or less tightly and the safety check bit would be raised above the ordinary bit, as clearly indicated in Fig. 2, although said figure is intended to specially illustrate the operation of the safety check bit should the ordinary bit break in use. It will be noted in Fi 1 that the safety check bit is made enoug longer than the ordinary bit so that the safety check bit will ride up over side rings 11. Should it be required to use the safety check bit to hold up a horses head, the supporting or overdraw check straps are shortened more or less to raise the safety check bit so that it will perform the functions of an ordinary check bit. l

Having thus described my invention I claim:

l. The combination with a bit, of reins operatively connected thereto, a safety check bit, a strap having a mid-length portion to serve as a chin strap and connected with the safety check bit and to the reins, the connection With the reins being a positive one to enable the said safety check bit to be used as a driving bit if the other bit should break.

2. The combination With a bit, of reins operatively connected thereto, a safety check bit having supporting straps connected to it, and a safety check strap, the mid-length of which serves as a chin stra and the ends of which slide freely through t e safety check bit and are o eratively connected to the reins, so that shou d the bit break a horse may be controlled by the safety check bit.

3. The combination with a bit, reins operatively connected thereto and su orting straps, of a safety check bit to w ch the supporting straps are operatively Connected In testimony whereof aHX my signature, and Which is provided With strap loops, and in presence of two Witnesses.

a safety check strap the mid-length ot Which serves as a chin strap and the ends of Which CHARLES H' LAWTON' passfreely through said strap loops and are Witnesses:

adjustably and positively connected to the S. C'. SWARTOUT, reins. ARTHUR H. QUIGLEY. 

